Storage-battery container



Oct. 14, 1930. A. H. sNYDl-:R

STORAGE BATTERY CONTAINER Filed April 8, 1926 PatentedL Oct. 14,1 930 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .LMOND H. SNYDER, OF LANCSTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD STORAGE BAT- TERY COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK. N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK 3 STORAG-BATTERY CONTAINER Application filed April 8, 1926. Serial No. 100,588.

'lhis invention relates to containers and,

The principal object of this invention, generally considered, is to provide an enclosed container for storage batteries and the like having a. gas and liquid tight joint between the lid and body or at other openings in such container.

Another' object: of the invention Vis vto provide a. gas andv liquid tight joint for such containers that'will seal under the action of the weight of the lid alone.

A further object of this'invention is to pro vide a gas and liquid tight joint that may be cheaply constructed and, at the same time, will be positive in its action.

Other objectszand advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

l It has long been recognized as desirable to combine in one cabinet, radio apparatus and the batteriessupplying the necessary power therefor. One of the objections to the use of a storage batterv for this purpose has hitherto been the difficulty of protecting the delicate metal parts of the radio apparatus from the corroding action of the minute quantities of sulphuric acid i'nthe gas given ottl during the operation of the battery. To properly isolate the battery from the rest of the apparatus, it is necessary that-.fit be enclosed in a container sealed against the escape of gas and liquid from the batter'y into the cabinet.

In making a container of such a. character, ,theditliculty has been to secure an effective seal between the lid a-nd the body of the container. To finish the contact edges of these parts with sufficient accuracy to insure a seal is both difiicult and costly especially with the moulded containers in co'mmon use. Even when a sealing strip of felt is used,'it has been necessaryvto draw the lid and body together with thumb screws or equivalent means in the endeavor to secure a seal at all points of the'joint. Carelessness on the part of the radio operator in failing to properly tighten the securing means has frequently resulted in serious injury to the radio apparatus. It is desirable to produce a container'with sealing means that will effectively close the. joint even should the 4operator fail to secure the usual fastenings.

My invention relates to such means and is shown in a preferred form in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure A1 isa side elevation of a. battery container, partly in section, to illustrate the joint between the lid and the bodyof such a container. v

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lid closed against the adjacent edge of the body.

Figure 3 is a similar view arate from the body.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like of the lid seppartsy being designated by like reference characters, there is lshown a typical power unit. such as is used in radio cabinets, in. volving a container for the battery elements and the like comprising a-body 1 and a lid 2. The body 1 of the container, formed usually by moulded acid-resisting.material` is provided with a stepped rim having a hori zontal face 3 and .a vertical face 4 for receiving the fla-nge 5 of the lid 2 so as to form a. telescoping joint or lipped engagement. The flange 5 is provided with a horizontal face 6 opposed to the face 3 of the bodyrim.

Interposed between the faces 3 and 5 is a sealing strip 7 preferably formed of soft rubber securelyfastened to the face 6 of the lid. This strip is preferably substantially triangular in cross section and is so arranged as to have a surface in contact with the vertical face 4 and an edge in contact with the horizontal face 3 of the body rim. It is to be noted that the weight of the lid 2 is supported b v the edge of' the sealing strip 7 in contact with the face 3. This edge yields until the bearing surface of" the sealing strip 7 in contact with the face 3 is sutiicientto support thc lid and in so yielding, anv inequalities or irregularities of the surface 3 are readily compensated forrby the yielding material 7 and a gas and liquid tight joint secured between the lid and the body.

In' the power unit chosen to illustrate this invention, an electrolytic rectifier 8 is placed 1n an end compartment adjacent an end wall of the container 1 in which are provided Ventilating apertures 9 and 10 to direct such gases as may be generated away from the apparatus with which the power unit isassociated. The rectifier 8 may be separated from the walls of the compartment by ribbed metal plates or separators 11 to provide for the ready passage of air and so insure proper ventilation of the container and coolingr of the rectifying unit.

vTo accommodate differences in design of containers, a. number of changes may be made in the form of the joint without departing from the spiritof my invention as long as there is an edge and a surface Contact between the lid or the body and the yielding sealing means whereby any inequalities in the rigid' lid or body member, as the case may be, will be compensated for by the yielding material of the sealing means.

I claim:

1. A container for battery elements and a rectifier in a single unit comprising a body,

,a lid and an interposed sealing strip of soft rubber. said lid having a lipped engagement with the body, said body having a stepped rim for receiving the lid, said sealing strip heilig secured to said lid and having a surT face contacting with the Vertical face of said stepped rim and an edge in contact with the horizontal face of said rim.

2. A container for battery elements and the 'like comprising an integral body with a stepped upper portion. anqintegral anged lid adapted to telescope with said stepped upper portion, and interposed sealing means of pliable rubber secured to the flange of the lid and having an edge and surface in Contact with the stepped portion of the body. In testimony whereof I affix my signature. ALMOND H. SNYDER. 

